Hardy: Pearson is our best chance at UK champion
Dan Hardy: “[Ross Pearson]’s career has been a great learning experience for him thus far and at only 30 years old the Sunderland, England native has plenty of time.”
The UFC has never had a British champion in any weight class, ever. To be fair, the sport of mixed martial arts is relatively new in the country and wrestling in the country was almost non-existent until recently.
A few British fighters have made a name for themselves, including Michael Bisping who carried the sport for his country for years. However, if the United Kingdom is to have a UFC champion in the near future, Dan Hardy believes the best chance is lightweight Ross Pearson:
Pearson for my money is the best chance the UK has right now of clinching a UFC title. His career has been a great learning experience for him thus far and at only 30 years old the Sunderland, England native has plenty of time. He is improving from fight to fight and over the next year or two I hope we will see him really start to create waves and force his way into the top ten.
Fighting Al Iaquinta, the owner of a UFC record of 4-1, is a great opportunity to show how quickly he is improving and set himself up for a crack at the upper echelon of the division. Make no mistake though, Iaquinta is no slouch. Fighting out of the Serra/Longo gym like middleweight champ Chris Weidman, he will have great coaches and team mates to prepare him. Fisticuffs are guaranteed in what promises to be a great supporting act to our main event grudge match between Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold.